Boat



April 2, 1-963 K. DEUBELBEISS BOAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 21, 1961 N s W I K S c w a m m w i w M mm u n U em s N1 w 51+ m z. I m M M h Tm rm 3 ,fi83,577 Patented Apr. 2, 1953 Denhelheiss, 22 i Sh, Beech Grove, ind.

F ed July 21, 1961, Ser. No. 125,326 4- Claizns. (Ci. 115-4) This invention relates generally to boats, and more particularly to small self-propelled boats for fishing and other water recreation.

Sportsmen, whether they be fishermen or boating enthusiasts in general, have a variety of boats from which to choose for the particular purposes in which they are interested. There has always been a need for shallow draft boats, whichare readily transportable to a launching site and which lend themselves to propulsion other than by motors. Such boats have usually taken the form of rowboats and are available in a variety of sizes and shapes.

While rowboats are frequently used by fishermen and others, they leave much to be desired. operating oars can hardly manipulate fishing tackle at the same time. Moreover, the boats usually must be slid into the water, resulting in dependency upon the type of terrain adjacent the edge of the water. Frequently, con ditions are such that the boat is diificult to slide smoothly into the water, and when it finally does so, the action is somewhat uncontrollable. The fishermen must then manage to enter the boat without mishap, this frequently requiring considerable agility.

It is, therefore, a general object of this invention to provide an improved boat.

it is a further object of this invention to provide a boat which may be propelled without the assistance of a motor and without reliance upon the arms of the operator.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a boat which draws very little water and which may be readily launched relatively independently of the nature of the terrain at the edge of the water.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a boat which may be readily transported and maneuvered about on a comparatively firm surface, such as land, by a single person and with minimal efiort.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a boat accomplishing the foregoing objects and which is durable, maintenance free, light in weight, and low in cost.

Other objects, advantages, and features of this invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Described briefly, the invention comprises a boat having at least one paddlewheel in the bow, usually pedal driven. The paddlewheel is of such form and mounted as to extend slightly from the hull of the boat whereby it afiords a wheel to support the bow as the stern is raised and moved along on land in the manner of a wheelbarrow. The pedal arrangement permits operation by one or two persons and the seating arrangement is specially adapted to either type of operation. A water tunnel is provided in the hull of the boat to convey and increase velocity of water moved by the paddlewheel from the bow to the stern for efficient propulsion of the boat. A rudder is disposed in the tunnel toward the stern of the boat to direct the water issuing from the tunnel, whereby the boat may be guided.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a typical embodiment of this invention, portions being broken away to better illustrate certain details.

FIG. 2 is a plan view.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation.

One who is FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the details of mounting the paddlewheels.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a blade of the paddlewheel taken from a position looking toward the water-engaging face of the blade.

FIG. 6 is a cross section of the blade of FIG. 5 taken along the lines 66 of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the boat, which may be conveniently constructed by laminating glass cloth and epoxy resins, has a hull 11 with rails 12, having sides 13 and a flat bottom 14. A tunnel 16 extends the length of the boat and has straight sides 17 and 18, a roof l9, and a floor 2d flush with the bottom. The sides of the tunnel diverge toward the stern of the boat, the diverging portions 21 and 22 intersecting the sternboard 23.

The side walls of the tunnel also diverge at portions 24 and 26 toward the bow of the boat, the roof rising at portion 27 toward the removable hood 2%. A pair of vertical walls 29 and 31 join portions 24- and 26, respectively, and extend to meet the sides of the boat toward the front of the bow portion at locations 32 and 33, respectively. These walls, together with the upwardly extending portion of the tunnel roof and with the downwardly-extending portion 34 of the hood, provide a housing for paddlewheel assemblies 36 and 37. The paddlewheel assemblies include circular plates 39 and 41 with blades 42 mounted therebetween. Though eight blades are normally used in each of the assemblies, other num bers may be found suitable. Only four blades are shown in the drawing, for convenience of illustration. Details of mounting of the paddlewheels in the hull will be apparent from the description of FIG. 4 which follows. At this point, sufice it to say that the paddlewheels are driven by a sprocket 44.

The drive for the sprocket 44 is by way of a chain 46 driven by sprocket 47. Sprocket 47 is mounted to shaft 48 supported in the hull by bearings 49 mounted in the center post 50. Two pairs 51 of pedals are provided and the outboard mounting of the pedals to the hull is by means of bearings 52, while the inboard mountings are provided by way of the bearings 4-9. These bearings are typically ball bearings. The pedals are shaped concavely as shown looking endwise at pedal 53 in FIG. 2. This shape promotes comfort for the foot of the operator.

Four chair-receiving members 54 extending longitudinaliy of the hull are equally spaced athwart the hull. These members have perforations 56 therealong, sized and spaced to receive the legs 57 and 58 of chair 59. The front legs 58 of the chair have forwardly-extending tabs 61 at the lower extremities thereof, whereby the chair is firmly anchored in place, once installed. The chairs, of course, can be moved fore and aft so the distance to the pedals can be adjusted to accommodate the size of the boat operator. The equal transverse spacing between the receivers provides for use of a chair astride the tunnel in the event but one person is operating the boat. The spacing of the pedals athwart the hull is also especially adapted to accommodate operation by a person sitting in a chair astride the tunnel as well as by two persons sitting in chairs at each side of the tunnel.

The rudder 62 is mounted to rudder post 63 which is in turn mounted by a pair of bearings 64 and 66 supported by the hull. These latter bearings may be conveniently made of Delrin, though other materials may also be found suitable. A disk 67 mounted to the rudder shaft and rudder 62 receives pins 68 and 69 to which may be connected rudder cables 71 and 72 which pass forwardly through the tunnel, upwardly through tubes "74 and around the steering wheel shaft 73. Tubes 74, which may conveniently be made of aluminum, are mounted in the center post 51?, which rises from the tunnel of the hull and is integral therewith. The lower ends of the tubes extend slightly below the roof of the tunnel and are flared to facilitate passage of the cables. Springs 76- are used With the cables to maintain suitable tension in the cables.

At this point, it, should be observed that the eireular plates of the paddlewheels extend outwardly from the hull of the boat, the extension in the embodiment shown in FIG; 1' being bOth forward of and below the hull. Handles 77 extend outwardly from the stern of the boat in diverging manner. Aperson can thereby raise the stern of the boat and moveth'e 'bo'at about on any comparatively firm surface, the bow of the boat being borne by the circular plates of the paddlewheels functioning like the-wheel of awheelbarrow. Thus, the boat can be maneuvered onland and, in fact, during launching bow-first,- in; themanner'of a wheelbarrow. Consequently, the boat may be launeehd practically independently of the nature or inclination of the land surface adjacent the edge of the water, and may be moved into the Water asfar as desired by-the operator prior to his entering the boat. If he wishes to set the stern upon the ground for entry into the boat, he need-then; move only far enough forward in the boat to tipthe'stern above-the land and may then propel theboat away by means of the pedal drive;

7 Byreferringto FiG. 4' along with FIGS; 2 and 3, typical mounting details for thepad'dlewheel assembly may be observedl Qther details equally as suitable may be devi'secl without departing from the scopeof this invention. Shaft 8d hasa pair ofnuts $2" (-only one beingshown in FIG. 4). threaded-1y received-at its ends. The nuts have a=taper 83f thereon whereby they are-mounted in Delrin bearings 84 Which-are embedded in the walls 29 (not shown in-FIG 4) and 3110f the hull. The circular plates 39 a nd; A; haveapertures- 86 and 8-7" therein which are slidably fitted to the shaft 8 Flanged Washers 83 and 7 8?, alsoprovided with apertures therein, are slidably fitted to the shaft-81 and provide-the support for the circularplat'e-s; A metallic tube 91 is fitted to the shaft 811' and provides a spacer between the Washers 8%. Similar tubes 92 pfovi'despa'cers between Washers 89 inboard of the paddlwheels, and the sprocket 44. A Delrin bearingse is mounted to -the hullat the vertical walls 94 of thesprockethousing portion 96 thereof. These bearings support the tubes 92, and thereby support the; centralportion of-the shaft 81 The sprocket 445s fastened to the-shaft by the setscrew' 44m and the entire rotating portion of the assembly parts is secured together by tightening the nu't's83 at the-ends of the shaft 81 As is apparent from FIGS; 1 and Z; the blades 42 of the paddlewheels extend generallytoward the axis of'rotaticn from near the periphery of the circular plates, but are not radially extending. They instead extend on a tangent to" an imaginary cylinder designated by reference numeral 97'centered'on the axis of rotation of the paddlewheels. Asviewed' from the side, the blades are linear in appearance, this havingbeen found to produce the best results.

FIGS. and 6 showface and cross-sectional views-of the preferred blade configuration. It should be noted that in FIG. 6 the bladef'ace 98' includes two somewhat concaveportions 9'9 and 1&1 joining each other at the ridge 10 2; The cent-ralregion' of each of the portions 99' and 1'01 is comparatively fiat whereas theactual concavity is adjacent the ridge; I62 and adjacent the outer edges 193 and 104 of the blade. This construction provides a better act-ion a-s-the -bla'des enter and move through the'water, the ridge 102 immediately initiating movement of the water toward the outer edges of the blades and thereby into thetunnelfor discharge at the stern.

It" should be noted that best results have been obtained with thebottom' of the'tunnel closed by the tunnel floor and flush with the bottom of the boat except at the forward end' 11-1, adjacent the paddlewheel, closure being at one side of the tunnel whereby the entire ilow of water is discharged in the direction intended for a rapid turn of the boat. Consequently, it is possible to turn a twelve: foot boat in a seven foot circle.

' For good flotation of the boat in the event of its filling with water due to accident or some other cause, bodies 106, 107, 108 and 139 of polyurethane foam are fixed in the hull in the places shown. When the boat is made of a laminate of glass cloth and epoxy resin, it is not uncommon for the draft of the boat, fully loaded, to be less than six inches.

The sternboard of the boat extends far enough abovethe tunnel to accommodate the mountingof an outboard motor if desired, for comparatively high speeds.

While the invention has been disclosed and described in. some detail in the. drawings and foregoing description, they are to: be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, as modifications may readily'suggest them selves to persons skilled in this art and Within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the ap'-. pended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A boat comprising: a hullhaving a longitudinally extending water tunnel therein and having an inclined bow; a paddlewheel assembly insaid tunnel at the bow of the boat for propellingthe hull in water, said paddlewheel assembly having beariug. means mounted on said hull andhaving circularv means supported for rotation on said bearing: means, said circular means extending from the bow of said hull to. serve, when the stern is raised, as a wheel to carry a. portion of the hull on a comparatively firmsurface such as land; and drive means coupled to said paddlewheel assembly for rotationthereof to propel the boat;

2. A boat comprising: a hull having. longitudinally extending water tunnel therein; a paddlewheel assembly in said tunnel at the bow of the boat for propelling the. hull in water, said paddlewheel assembly having bearing.

means on-said hull and having circular means supported for rotation on said bearing means, said-circular means extending slightly from said hull to serve as a wheel .to'

carry the hull on a comparatively firm surface such as.

land; drive means coupled to said paddlewheel: assembly for rotation thereof to propel the boat, said'dfrive means including pedals spaced from one-another athwart the hull for operation .by a person: seated in any one of severalpositious transversely of the hull; and seatingmearis including a chair having transversely spaced legs, and

said seating meansincluding at least; three chair 'leg 'receivers affixed to the hull at equal spacings transversely of the hull, with one of said receivers being at each side of said tunnel for mounting saidchair iu-aposition astride said tunnel and, alternatively in 'a position beside said tunnel.

3. A boat comprising: a hull having a longitudinally comparatively. firm surface such as land; a plurality of blades mounted between said plates, eachofsaid blades extending from a region proximate the circular edges :of said plates generally toward the axis of rotation of saidassembly'andonla line'ta'ng'ent to an imaginary cylinder having said axis as its cylindrical axis, faces of said blades being principally linear longitudinally and.

having a-p airof adjoining, generally concave portions,

said blades being thereby contoured to effectively move water through said tunnel duringrotation of said paddlewheel assembly; a rudder assembly in said tunnel at the rear end thereof; and pedal drive means on said'hullcoupled to said paddlewheel assembly, said drive. means including pedals spaced from'one-another athwart tlie' hull for operation by a person seated in any one of several positions transversely of the hull.

4. A boat comprising: a hull having a longitudinally extending Water tunnel therein, said tunnel having a roof and sides meeting said roof and a floor meeting said sides; a paddlewheel assembly in said tunnel for propelling the hull in water, said paddlewheel assembly having bearing means mounted on said hull and having circular means supported for rotation on said bearing means, said circular means extending from said hull to serve as a wheel to carry the hull on a comparatively firm surface such as land; and drive means coupled to said paddlewheel assembly for rotation thereof to propel the boat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A BOAT COMPRISING: A HULL HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING WATER TUNNEL THEREIN AND HAVING AN INCLINED BOW; A PADDLEWHEEL ASSEMBLY IN SAID TUNNEL AT THE BOW OF THE BOAT FOR PROPELLING THE HULL IN WATER, SAID PADDLEWHEEL ASSEMBLY HAVING BEARING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID HULL AND HAVING CIRCULAR MEANS SUPPORTED FOR ROTATION ON SAID BEARING MEANS, SAID CIRCULAR MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE BOW OF SAID HULL TO SERVE, WHEN THE STERN IS RAISED, AS A WHEEL TO CARRY A PORTION OF THE HULL ON A COMPARATIVELY FIRM SURFACE SUCH AS LAND; AND DRIVE MEANS COUPLED TO SAID PADDLEWHEEL ASSEMBLY FOR ROTATION THEREOF TO PROPEL THE BOAT. 